My Daughter's Eyes

My daughter is very artistic.  So, when she created a sign for my anniversary that had words tied to MOTHER - it was not a huge suprise.  I am blessed as she is always drawing something or creating something. 

What did suprise me was one of the words she used.... O =  Opportunity Taker.   I reflected on that.  To me, I have always had faith that God will put me in the right place at the right time.  I've always kind of had a "leap of faith" attitude.   I never fully stopped to think of the message I was sending to my kids.   Opportunity Taker.   Wow.  I am proud that she sees that in me.  In life, things will come.  I will be over joyed if she approaches what comes her way with a "why not" attitude.   If you are too afraid to take a leap - how do you know the net will not appear?  

Don't get me wrong.  I have failed.  Oh, my have I failed (just ask my husband).  Yet, now I know.  There are voices that say, "what if it doesn't work" or "are you sure" or "you don't have the ability".   I shoo those voices away when I can and say,  "I trust God will lead me"   or  "I will learn what I don't know"  or  "Why not me?"

So the next time something comes along and you hear that voice - that doubt.  SHOO it AWAY!  You have more talent than you know - you have untapped greatness!   God made you as unique as a snowflake.... embrace you!

Pain = Friend?

Pain.  It appears daily in my knee, reminding me that I need therapy, that I now have limits.  While I do not enjoy the pain I feel, I do know that it can be a friend.  It can cause you to slow down and evaluate what you are doing.  It can make you reach down to the core of yourself and find the fighter that keeps plugging along.  It can make you grateful for those who love you...as you are.

There was a poem I kept on my nightstand when I started my first job.  Over moves and years, I somehow lost it, but traces of it linger in my memory and I find myself still saying parts of it today.

It went something like:   God, plant in me the necessary determination to bring Your gifts to life.  Do not let me hide them or cover them.  When friends laugh at what I have set forth on, let me not be deterred but plant me in the right direction.   And when the way seems dark, Lord, please plant a small signal fire at the end of the tunnel so that I may keep plodding steadily toward it.

For all who are in pain, I pray that God plants a signal fire for you today.  Plod steadily my friends.

Going For It

Under Westbrack Marketing, I decided to create what has been a seed in my brain for years.  As of yesterday, I published FaribaultShopping.com - an e-commerce retail website where customers can go and shop local businesses.  The response has been great.  FaribaultShopping.com

I wish I could say that it all came about because of my talents.  What really has happened is that I have asked God to just put me in front of the right people at the right time.  I just looked up and said, "Your will".   In the process, I have worked hard, challenged my abilities and even physically pushed myself.   When there was a doubt, God would just send someone to let me know to keep going - putting a small signal fire at the end of the tunnel so that I may keep plodding steadily toward it.

A few days ago, I ran into my good friend Jason Polzin.  Friends, I have to tell you that if God puts someone in your life that so easily shares His love and word - you better listen.  I told Jason about my adventure and he said, "Isn't it great to just leave it all in God's hands?"   and then he said he had been praying for me every day.  I was humbled.  Here is a guy with a business to run, a mom who is battling cancer, a wife and a life and he is taking time to include me in prayer?   Me?  Wow. 

I walked away thinking, "Ok, Ok, I get it God."    First, you put the seed in my head to start my own marketing company.  I did.  I got the tax info, the logo.  Then, you had my employer put my job to part-time.  Then, you gave me the idea for e-commerce.  Then, you put me in front of the chamber for partnership.  Then, when I STILL was not fully engaged, you had people come across my path and say "maybe you should do this"  "we want to work with you".    And, then, YOU iced the cake and sent Jason across my path to remind me of faith and love.

I get it.  I am on the ride.  I published.  I only pray that as I go from business to business and job to job that people can see God working through me.  Me?  Wow.  Humbled.

Discover your passion

“Keep in mind, just because you don’t know the answer doesn’t mean that one does not exist. You simply haven’t discovered it yet.”
― Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential

When I started Westbrack Marketing, it was not due to a grand plan I had built.  It was as simple as my husband saying, "you have marketing, why not do that?"    I can't tell you the times I have thought about the "what next" rather than the now.   Yet, with each challenge I face, I find that God helps me find the answer each and every time. 

As I have been out selling a new website, I am reminded how much I love helping a business grow.  Going into a place, seeing what they have for sale, talking to them - it just gets my creativity going.  Soon, I am suggesting things, thinking of ways for them to promote.  I just can't help myself.   Some things will work, some will not but the answer is there to discover.  And, I love the discovery.

Better Hands

My employer came to me before Labor Day and said that due to money they were cutting me to part-time.  They loved me and wanted me to still do marketing but were going to take over the office jobs.  I had a rush of emotions.   Shock. Anger. Frustration.   I am a good employee  - no drama, on time, great work and had brought many things to the table.   Still, as I reflected, there were signs that times were tough.   I had chosen to ignore them.  So, what to do?   Well, I had a marketing company that I had just kept on the back burner.  Was this God's way of telling me to get with it?  

So, I set on a path.  Dusted off Westbrack Marketing and am going full force.   With the adventure comes trust.  Not in me but in God's plan for me.  I laugh sometimes because I think I have it all figured out.  Then, something happens.  My knee gives out and I can't walk.   My job is cut to part-time.  An unexpected something happens.  Then, I realize that there is One who is in control and it sure as heck is not me.   You still have to work hard and pursue your dreams with all you have.  Yet, you can put the guidance in God's hands.  

I have loved Natalie Grant's music for a long time.   Here is a link to hear a sample of her song  "Let Go".   So cool.

Stand Back Up

A month ago, my knee started to hurt.  Like most moms, I kept plugging along - thinking the pain was just a strain.  Then, I was walking to my van and something, something went wrong.  The pain seered through my knee and I hopped on one leg to my van.  Getting in, I knew something was wrong.  Crying, I drove home only to find I could not walk on it.  My family rallied around me and cared for me until the morning.  With my husband driving me to the clinic, we found the culprit.  Osteoarthritis in the knee and then one side had cartlidge that has worn thin.  They kept saying,  "you are so young."  

What I learned through the process is that therapy really can make a difference ( you should see me do a leg lift).   That your family can be all you need in a time of crisis.  Sometimes, you have to put yourself first.  God sometimes puts in something bad for the overall good  (if I had not found out now, five years from now, the cartlidge would be gone).   I also found out that my husband and I still have our humor intact.  We laughed when he crashed my wheelchair into the counter (2-3 times), we laughed when I bought vitamins and the register kicked out a free membership to AARP, we laughed when I had the X-ray and the lady asked if there was a chance I could be pregnant and we laughed when the kids suggested I get Life Alert.   Life hands you challenges.  How you handle them defines who you are.

One thing that does always help me is music.  Check out I'll Be Believing or Jesus Will Still Be There  by Point of Grace (letsjustpraise.com).  I put a link below.  Enjoy.

I'll Be Believing

Barriers...

This weekend, I went back to my home state.  Traveling without my family, I found myself tuning into 80's music, singing in the van.  If you passed me on I35, I apologize for the display.   I met my high school friends and my brother.  Over the years, I have made several friends who are dear to me, carried me through tough times and remain close.  The girls (ladies now) I met this weekend, though, are the ones who knew me when.  The people with whom I have shared a lifetime of experiences, who know my history, who know my flaws (boy do they) and still embrace me.   You know - the friends with whom you can say something and you are all on the same page laughing.   When we see each other, we do not see the years but we see the same face we knew when we were 16.  OK, maybe we do see the age a little....but there is still the same familiar.  
Life is short.  In a blink, you are 30, 40, 50 and too often we let the minor things get in the way of what matters.  We often put barriers in front of our potential joys - it is too much money, it is too far, we don't have the time, we have work to do, yards to clean, laundry, houses, jobs, pets...the list goes one.  Sometimes, though, you have to press the pause button and say, "I'm going to do this."  You carve out time to see people and make memories that will last far beyond the time spent.  I am still learning to bypass the barriers and just give in.  So, this weekend, I bought a pendant to help remind me daily of what I should do.  It simply states:  Give it to God and let go.  

Drive Time

I have a friend who literally travels hundreds of miles each week. Recently, I asked her what she did when she traveled. Her simple answer was "pray". That had me thinking. When I drove to work for my mere 10 minutes, how did I spend my time? Did I spend it worrying about my day, my kids, my to-do list? So, I started with a quick prayer the next morning. Soon, I was praying for friends, coworkers, family and more. It was a great morning reminder that God was with me as I headed into the day. 'Course, I still leave time to rock to my favorite tunes. But starting my day thinking of others has been a great focus.